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Yeah, that's the other part I'm curious about. The Grasshopper's always been a bit low profile compared to other designs, I wonder why they picked it.

There's a Millennium Falcon book like that? I never heard about that, will have to check it out sometime.

I'm guessing that's part of the reason they chose the Grasshopper. It's got a unique profile (how many other mechs got missiles in the face?) but doesn't have much of an established history or a following that will be annoyed if it happens to not be a god tier weapon of mass destruction.

Grasshopper is actually one of the better heavy's from the base game; it's not fast or especially punchy, but it's got a solid amount of armor and the jump jets make it a little more versatile in rough terrain.

It's a cool idea; I'm surprised they haven't done it before now. I mean, I can think of a couple films that use a similar concept (anthology of stories tracing an object as it passes between owners).

Hello, little man. Boy, I sure heard a bunch about you. See, I was a good friend of your dad’s. We were in that Marik pit of hell together over five years. Hopefully, you’ll never have to experience this yourself, but when two men are in a situation like me and your Dad were, for as long as we were, you take on certain responsibilities of the other. If it had been me who had not made it, Major Coolidge would be talking right now to my son Jim. But the way it turned out is I’m talking to you, Butch. I got something for you.

This Commando I got here was first piloted by your great-grandfather during the first war with the Kuritans. It was manufactured in a little Lyran factory on York, Alarion Province. Made by the first company to ever make scout 'mechs. Up till then people just piloted mediums. It was piloted by private Doughboy Ernie Coolidge on the day he set sail for Denebola. It was your great-grandfather’s war 'mech and he piloted it every day he was in that war. When he had done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother, took the 'mech with him, put it an old hangar, and in that hangar it stayed until your granddad Dane Coolidge was called upon by his country to go overseas and fight the Kuritans again. This time they called it the Second Sucession War. Your great-grandfather gave this 'mech to your granddad for good luck. Unfortunately, Dane’s luck wasn’t as good as his old man’s. Dane was a scout and he was killed, along with the other scouts at the battle of Zion. Your granddad was facing death, he knew it. None of those boys had any illusions about ever leaving that planet alive. So three days before the Free Worlds League took the planet, your granddad asked a maintenance tech on a jumpship, name of Winocki, a man he had never met before in his life, to deliver to his infant son, who he’d never seen in the flesh, his Commando. Three days later, your granddad was dead. But Winocki kept his word. After the war was over, he paid a visit to your grandmother, delivering to your infant father, his dad’s Commando.

This 'mech. This 'mech was your daddy’s when he was legged on Cavanaugh II. He was captured, put in a Marik prison camp. He knew if the eagles ever saw the 'mech it’d be confiscated, taken away. The way your dad looked at it, that 'mech was your birthright. He’d be damned if any leaguers were gonna put their greasy pink hands on his boy’s birthright. So he hid it in the one place he knew he could hide something. His ass. Five long years, he wore this 'mech up his ass. Then he died of dysentery, he gave me the 'mech. I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the 'mech to you.

It's a cool idea; I'm surprised they haven't done it before now. I mean, I can think of a couple films that use a similar concept (anthology of stories tracing an object as it passes between owners).

Hello, little man. Boy, I sure heard a bunch about you. See, I was a good friend of your dad’s. We were in that Marik pit of hell together over five years. Hopefully, you’ll never have to experience this yourself, but when two men are in a situation like me and your Dad were, for as long as we were, you take on certain responsibilities of the other. If it had been me who had not made it, Major Coolidge would be talking right now to my son Jim. But the way it turned out is I’m talking to you, Butch. I got something for you.

This Commando I got here was first piloted by your great-grandfather during the first war with the Kuritans. It was manufactured in a little Lyran factory on York, Alarion Province. Made by the first company to ever make scout 'mechs. Up till then people just piloted mediums. It was piloted by private Doughboy Ernie Coolidge on the day he set sail for Denebola. It was your great-grandfather’s war 'mech and he piloted it every day he was in that war. When he had done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother, took the 'mech with him, put it an old hangar, and in that hangar it stayed until your granddad Dane Coolidge was called upon by his country to go overseas and fight the Kuritans again. This time they called it the Second Sucession War. Your great-grandfather gave this 'mech to your granddad for good luck. Unfortunately, Dane’s luck wasn’t as good as his old man’s. Dane was a scout and he was killed, along with the other scouts at the battle of Zion. Your granddad was facing death, he knew it. None of those boys had any illusions about ever leaving that planet alive. So three days before the Free Worlds League took the planet, your granddad asked a maintenance tech on a jumpship, name of Winocki, a man he had never met before in his life, to deliver to his infant son, who he’d never seen in the flesh, his Commando. Three days later, your granddad was dead. But Winocki kept his word. After the war was over, he paid a visit to your grandmother, delivering to your infant father, his dad’s Commando.

This 'mech. This 'mech was your daddy’s when he was legged on Cavanaugh II. He was captured, put in a Marik prison camp. He knew if the eagles ever saw the 'mech it’d be confiscated, taken away. The way your dad looked at it, that 'mech was your birthright. He’d be damned if any leaguers were gonna put their greasy pink hands on his boy’s birthright. So he hid it in the one place he knew he could hide something. His ass. Five long years, he wore this 'mech up his ass. Then he died of dysentery, he gave me the 'mech. I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the 'mech to you.

Great, now I have this image of an old guy pulling a miniature Commando figure out of his ass and handing it to a kid.

I wonder what the Beginner's Box Set is, considering they already have a starter box.

Also wonder what Shadowrun Sprawl Ops is.

The Starter Box hasn't been in production for a while, and the ones on the secondary market are going for deep mark-ups.

If CGL wants to keep the game alive, they need to keep putting stuff like this out, especially to tie in and bring over players of the HBS game to the tabletop game. On that same line, you'll notice that all of the new stuff is harmonized in the art and presentation, so as to present a unified product vision across the whole IP (tabletop/HBS/MWO).

I wonder what the Beginner's Box Set is, considering they already have a starter box.

Also wonder what Shadowrun Sprawl Ops is.

The Starter Box hasn't been in production for a while, and the ones on the secondary market are going for deep mark-ups.

If CGL wants to keep the game alive, they need to keep putting stuff like this out, especially to tie in and bring over players of the HBS game to the tabletop game. On that same line, you'll notice that all of the new stuff is harmonized in the art and presentation, so as to present a unified product vision across the whole IP (tabletop/HBS/MWO).

That would explain why Amazon no longer has it in stock and the price went nuts.

I wonder what the Beginner's Box Set is, considering they already have a starter box.

Also wonder what Shadowrun Sprawl Ops is.

The Starter Box hasn't been in production for a while, and the ones on the secondary market are going for deep mark-ups.

If CGL wants to keep the game alive, they need to keep putting stuff like this out, especially to tie in and bring over players of the HBS game to the tabletop game. On that same line, you'll notice that all of the new stuff is harmonized in the art and presentation, so as to present a unified product vision across the whole IP (tabletop/HBS/MWO).

Ok grognards, I want some help. I'm filling out Yet Another Lance(tm) in my tabletop roster, and I'm looking for a proper unit/outfit/faction to give them a home. As per usual, I want the lance to fit the MUL for it's parent formation.

The problem is this: I don't want it to be just another Combine lance. I'd like something that's visually distinctive from a Combine formation (so no Sword of Light, for sure), but would have some reason to field this lance. The Uziel makes it a little weird...

Ok grognards, I want some help. I'm filling out Yet Another Lance(tm) in my tabletop roster, and I'm looking for a proper unit/outfit/faction to give them a home. As per usual, I want the lance to fit the MUL for it's parent formation.

The problem is this: I don't want it to be just another Combine lance. I'd like something that's visually distinctive from a Combine formation (so no Sword of Light, for sure), but would have some reason to field this lance. The Uziel makes it a little weird...

Ok grognards, I want some help. I'm filling out Yet Another Lance(tm) in my tabletop roster, and I'm looking for a proper unit/outfit/faction to give them a home. As per usual, I want the lance to fit the MUL for it's parent formation.

The problem is this: I don't want it to be just another Combine lance. I'd like something that's visually distinctive from a Combine formation (so no Sword of Light, for sure), but would have some reason to field this lance. The Uziel makes it a little weird...

Ok grognards, I want some help. I'm filling out Yet Another Lance(tm) in my tabletop roster, and I'm looking for a proper unit/outfit/faction to give them a home. As per usual, I want the lance to fit the MUL for it's parent formation.

The problem is this: I don't want it to be just another Combine lance. I'd like something that's visually distinctive from a Combine formation (so no Sword of Light, for sure), but would have some reason to field this lance. The Uziel makes it a little weird...

Mercenary, Draconis March, Rasalhague or outworlds alliance would all be good choices.

I'd like specific a specific unit/regiment/company to affiliate this Lance to, and can't decide. I've looked at Bad Dream, 104th Striker Regiment, Ryuken-Ni, and Gabhardt's Carabineers so far, but not really digging them.

I'm less certain about the really crunchy notes of the various militaries, but maybe examining the composition of your units design theory can give some insight into a proper home.

At a glance, you have what looks like a quick moving direct fire support lance circa 3063 (everything in the lance has some long range thump and enough speed to reposition quickly) and definitley one that leans more so as a striker then a raider (the shortage of hands means they can't run off with materials as easily). Also, the Hussar and the Uziel would be comparatively exotic/expensive so the command in question would need to be relatively well established to afford both the acquisition and upkeep of those mechs.

The dragon and K2 could easily be salvage while the Hussar and Uziel are either the ride's of a blue blood or deliberate upgrades to the unit to deal with expected aggression from either the Combine or the brewing animosity between Steiner and Davion factions. This also gives the lance a bit of personality since you can have grizzled veterans piloting their old school trophies having to work with some preppy wet behind the ears rookies and their more sophisticated toys.

Although, I kinda wish they didn't both have Wolverines. Not a big fan of that mech and would've like a 4th medium mech choice. And no Atlas?

Edit: doing a quick look at Sarna, there doesn't seem to be another late Succession War era 55-ton IS mech to fit the bill. Although, the Scorpion was 55 tons, could go 97 kph, had a PPC and an SRM6... not bad. They'll never include a quad mech in the basic box, I imagine, but it'd be cool. A 50 ton Hunchback or Centurion would be more popular with most fans, even if it doesn't fit the pattern of 55 ton designs with 5/8/5 mobility, and 9 & 1/2 tons of armor.

I wonder if they are nicer models, cause that is a big reduction in model count from the old starter.

It's two lances' worth; with a 20, 25, 2x 55, 2x 65, 80, and 85 ton choices so you can balance the lances or give one player a handicap. From the pictures Nips posted at the imgur link they are pretty nice, but it's been a while since I looked at the ones from the previous starter so I can't make a direct comparison other than to say these new ones follow the MWO-influenced art design.

I'm curious to see what the "die-cut terrain tokens" mentioned on the boxes are like.

1. The models on display are super nice, but subject to change. I couldn't tell if they were still 3D print (prototypes) or actual cast figures (closer to final). The Locust seems pretty likely to be a final sculpt (unchanged from last year's preview), but the other four in the pictures might be subject to change.
2. The boxes are clearly marked "not final design". I'd be surprised to see these both go to market in their current incarnation.

I wonder if they are nicer models, cause that is a big reduction in model count from the old starter.

It's two lances' worth; with a 20, 25, 2x 55, 2x 65, 80, and 85 ton choices so you can balance the lances or give one player a handicap. From the pictures Nips posted at the imgur link they are pretty nice, but it's been a while since I looked at the ones from the previous starter so I can't make a direct comparison other than to say these new ones follow the MWO-influenced art design.

I'm curious to see what the "die-cut terrain tokens" mentioned on the boxes are like.

I'm not saying it's a terrible amount of mechs, but the old starter they put out came with 24 mechs, so 6 lances total or 1 company per player. But the minis are pretty low quality.